Dying to Be Thin

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Most women hate their bodies. Compared to women who grace magazine covers, books, CDs, movies, TV… well there is no comparison! The average model is 5’8”, wears a size 2 and weighs 110 pounds. This hardly approximates the average American women at 5’4”, size 12 and 144 pounds. For all our feminist protest, we still define ourselves by our bodies. Thin is in but hard to achieve. The desire to be thin is one reason why the diet industry is fueled by billions of dollars.

We’ve been duped by a media strategy that vilifies fat people and convinces girls at the age of nine that they need to diet. The media’s role is huge but the media have partners–the food, diet, fashion, beauty and health care-industries. All dangle the thin carrot. We swallow it, even if it means possible death.

Something has to change. Someone needs to protest. All of us need to stop spending money on magical cures that promise the moon and deliver nothing. This is getting dangerous.  People are being hurt.

Kim found herself using her last bit of savings to go on yet another fad diet. This diet was expensive and beyond her budget. I was moved by the desperation in Kim. Despite her repeated failure on several other programs and the depletion of her savings, she was willing to try again. My advice to Kim was stop dieting. She didn’t need the debt or another failure.

Kim isn’t alone. It’s time for all of us to stop dying to be thin! Check the statistics of any diet claim. If there are no statistics, be suspicious and don’t spend your money. Understand the risks involved with any diet aid or product. Consumers drive the market. If you stop buying the products, businesses will stop manufacturing them. Check with consumer advocacy groups who review these products and services. Let’s stop the mindless collusion with our culture’s idolatry of the body.

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